1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage medium storing a game program, a game apparatus, and a game system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a storage medium storing a game program which is executed by a game apparatus which is operated using a pointing device capable of outputting data for remotely designating coordinates with respect to a predetermined detection surface, a game apparatus, and a game system.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-90043 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1), there is a game apparatus which is operated using a pointing device which remotely designates coordinates with respect to a display screen as a predetermined detection surface. In a video game disclosed in Patent Document 1, a game is progressed by using a gun 20 to designate a position on a display screen 3A and shoot a target. Also, by operating a foot switch 70, a viewpoint of a game image displayed on the display screen 3A is changed.
Also, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 7-116343 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 2) and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-272841 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 3), there is another game apparatus in which a viewpoint of a game image displayed on a display screen is changed. An electronic amusement apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2 detects an attitude of a player, and based on the attitude, changes a viewpoint of a game image displayed on a display screen. A video game apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 3 changes a viewpoint of a game image displayed on a display screen, depending on, for example, a displayed position and behavior of a player character. Specifically, depending on a player's operation, the video game apparatus uses an overhead viewpoint (a viewpoint in a game space position above and behind a player character) when the player character is being moved in the game space, a subjective viewpoint (a viewpoint in the game space substantially coinciding with a position of the player character) when the player character is stopped, and similarly a subjective viewpoint when the player character infiltrates a specific place in the game space.
On the other hand, there is a game apparatus in which a method of operating the apparatus is changed instead of changing a viewpoint of a game image, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-235014 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 4), Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-109714 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 5), and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-251070 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 6). Patent Document 4 discloses a hand-held liquid crystal game apparatus in which a method of operating the apparatus is changed, depending on whether a game to be executed is a game for a portrait screen or a game for a landscape screen. Patent Document 5 discloses an information distribution apparatus in which a key operation and a response to the operation are defined by the user, thereby changing an operation method. Patent Document 6 discloses a game apparatus in which a game control which is performed, corresponding to an operation signal which is generated, depending on a player's operation, is changed, depending on an attitude of an operation section 50.
However, in the video game disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to operate a foot switch so as to change the viewpoint of the game image displayed on the display screen, resulting in poor operability. Also, in the electronic amusement apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2 and the video game apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 3, a game input is performed by the player operating a key, a joystick or the like, and therefore, this technique cannot be directly applied to a game apparatus which is operated using a pointing device which remotely designates coordinates with respect to a detection surface.
In the hand-held liquid crystal game apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 4, the operation method is changed, depending on the type of a game executed by the game apparatus, i.e., the operation method is not changed as appropriate during execution of the same game. In the information distribution apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 5, the user needs to define a key operation and a response to the key operation for each game type, resulting in a complicated operation. In the game apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 6, a game input is performed by the player operating a direction key, a button or the like, and therefore, this technique cannot be directly applied to a game apparatus which is operated using a pointing device which remotely designates coordinates with respect to a detection surface.